Comic Adaptation Seriously Good Fun

Sydney Morning Herald

Monday October 20, 2008

Sacha Molitorisz

IRON MAN

Paramount, 121 mins, M, action A DD 5.1 surround R 2.40:1, 16:9 widescreen enhanced S

A doco about laundering? Grant Kenny's life story? No, yet another colourful, action-packed romp based on a comic book, this time with Robert Downey jnr as a boozing, womanising playboy. It's hardly a stretch and, yes, Downey jnr is charismatic and compelling. The surprise is how good the script is in a genre that usually follows a rigid formula of vanquished villain and unrequited love. The supporting cast (led by a bald Jeff Bridges) is outstanding, the dialogue is mostly sharper than Wolverine's claws and the visuals are stunning. Director Jon Favreau (Elf) even draws out an endearing performance from Gwyneth Paltrow as the hero's ultra-efficient, long-suffering assistant. An excellent adventure - but I'm probably not telling you anything you don't know, given Iron Man has just recorded the biggest opening weekend of any DVD released this year.

Extras Iron Man has been released in four editions. The single-disc DVD features deleted and extended scenes. The two-disc "ultimate" edition has a six-part featurette about the character's origins, a seven-part "making of" doco, a feature on the visual effects, Downey jnr's original screen test, a photo gallery of concept art and behind-the-scenes images. There are also a two-disc special collectors' edition and a theatrical release version.

MOLIERE

Hopscotch, 120 mins, PG, comedy-drama A DD 5.1 surround R 16:9 widescreen enhanced S

Romain Duris's acting style is hammier than a croque monsieur. Clearly the ubiquitous, diminutive star of Paris, Inside Paris, The Spanish Apartment, Russian Dolls (he clearly prefers roles in films with geographical locations in the name) and many more French films likes to act! Fortunately, his flamboyant technique suits perfectly this nuanced, amusing period piece about one of France's most revered playwrights, given it's a comedy-drama that sets out to evoke the style of its subject. In 1644, Jean Baptiste Poquelin - aka Moliere - is a 22-year-old actor with a talent for comedy who struggles to see the funny side when he is thrown into a Paris prison for failing to pay his debts. From this historical fact, writer-director Laurent Tirard creates a story that is pure speculation. It sees Moliere bailed out by a rich merchant (Fabrice Luchini) who is eager to enlist the young thespian's skills to help woo a local beauty (Ludivine Sagnier). As Moliere encounters an indolent, conniving aristocrat and falls for the philandering merchant's wife, the ensuing antics recall the satire and farce of the plays that went on to make Moliere famous, including The Misanthrope and Tartuffe. As Moliere (and this film) demonstrates, comedy and depth are far from mutually exclusive.

Extras None.

DVD KEY

A Audio (DD = Dolby Digital) R Aspect ratio S English subtitles